Realtor.com® on Tuesday announced the appointment of veteran housing economist Danielle Hale as its chief economist, succeeding Jonathan Smoke, who left to take a similar position at Cox Automotive in April.
“We are incredibly proud to welcome Danielle to the realtor.com® family,” said Nate Johnson, chief marketing officer for realtor.com®. “Danielle’s in-depth housing market knowledge and research experience will help us hone and grow our research capabilities so we can leverage realtor.com®’s vast housing database to provide even more insights to homebuyers, sellers and dreamers, and professionals.”
As chief economist, Hale is responsible for developing and translating real estate trend data into consumer and industry insights. She also is tasked with leading a team of the industry’s best analysts and economists with the goal of providing deeper and broader housing insights to people throughout the home journey.
“Realtor.com®’s economics and research operation has emerged as a leading resource for valuable, actionable, and reliable housing market information,” said Hale. “I look forward to working with the tremendously talented team to provide consumers and industry professionals with the tools and expertise they need to navigate the real estate world during this period of unprecedented competition and demand.”
Hale joins realtor.com® after nearly a decade as an economist and policy researcher at the National Association of REALTORS®. As managing director of housing research, Hale oversaw the production of closely followed housing market data, including NAR’s monthly pending and existing home sales indices and quarterly home price reports. Hale previously served as manager of tax policy research, leading research projects on topics including how federal, state and local policies impact the real estate market.
“Danielle possesses a rare talent for applying rigorous statistical analysis in all her work along with the ability to communicate the results to everyday people,” said Lawrence Yun, chief economist for the National Association of REALTORS®. “She will be a valuable asset to realtor.com® and for consumers.”
Before joining the National Association of REALTORS® as an economist in 2008, Hale spent three years at the American Enterprise Institute, where she produced research and managed its executive office’s communications. Her work during that time included research contributions to Dr. Allan Meltzer’s A History of the Federal Reserve, Volume II (University of Chicago Press, 2010).
Hale earned a bachelor’s degree in International Affairs and Economics and a master’s degree in Applied Economics from Florida State University.
